Trips

Several times during 1952 I could be found watching one of the New Brancepeth locomotives as it chuffed noisely in a southerly direction before  stopping short of the buffers that were situated not that far from the bottom end of the village. The engine becames very noisy and felt a  bit threatening as it got nearer and nearer to me. On an at least one occasion the driver stopped and gave me what must have been a forty yard ride! It was nepotism of course,  by my stepfather, that granted me the thrill and danger! He was then a thirty eight year old man  and  often worked twelve hours a day to help the cause of the colliery - moving timber, coal and other items.  It helped another great cause as well - his family's financial position. It had to fund so much: the Beano, the Eagle, holidays in Newbiggin and Redcar, clothing, spotted dick and custard, train sets at Christmas, rent, clothing, food and much more. My list of priorities in that last sentence seem a bit odd now!

My uncle Norman sometimes invited me to joint him on his coach trips to the likes of Whitby. The passengers were all known to him, looked to be in their twenties, and were probably some club or other. On one trip he presented me with what looked like [but wasn't] a Royal Navy officer's hat; it was very shiny and important looking and must have given me a feeling of importance.  There were also lots of kiss me quick hats on the coach and all in all it was a happy bunch of  well behaved people.  Looking back on those trips it seems to me that everyone was happy whatever the weather.

It was not always plain sailing [hat or no hat] and on a hot summer's day in c1953 II found myself on a broken down  Durham to New Brancepeth bus - that got no further than Alum Waters.  Eventually it was 'everybody off' but it was not that far to complete the journey!